Pin type paper feeding device



Dec. 16, 1947. A. A. JOHNSON 2,432,967 7 PlN TYPE PAPER FEEDING DEVICE{Filed Dec. 16, 1943 2 sheets-sheet 1 Figs! INVENTOR Dec. 16, 1947.

A. A. JOHNSON 7 PIN TYPE PAPER FEEDING DEVICE Filed Dec. 16, 1943 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 16, 1947 PIN TYPE PAPER FEEDINGDEVICE Arthur A. Johnson, Bridgeport, Conn, assignor to AutographicRegister Company, Hoboken, N. J., a corporation of New JerseyApplication December 16, 1943, Serial No. 514,499

12 Claims. (Cl. 197-433) This invention relates to typewriters and thelike, and more especially to machines of the type adapted to handlecontinuous superposed strips, where it is desired to keep all of thestrips substantially in registry and alignment as they advance throughthe machine.

Various devices have been incorporated in typewriters in the past toestablish and maintain continuous superposed printed record and carbonstrips in alignment and registry. For this purpose the strips have beenprovided with rows of equi-spaced feeding perforations along themarginal area, for engagement with protuberances or pins carried by thetypewriter usually by the platen. By arranging the pins and the feedingperforations so that as the platen is turned the pins consecutivelyenter the perforations of the advancing superposed strips, the latterare kept in practically sufficient registry and alignment at the platen.

When, however, the number of strips or the thickness of the pile passingsimultaneously through a typewriter is increased beyond a certainamount, and the perforations in the strips are aligned at the writingline, those at the introductory side of the platen will be out ofalignment with each other. This is because, as the strips bend aroundthe platen, the innermost strip has an arc of smaller radius than thearc of the outermost strip, and therefore with any given central anglerepresenting two pins on the platen, the corresponding arcs for theinner and outer strips are different in length. Thus the perforations inthe strips at the introductory side of the platen become misaligned anamount proportional to the thickness of the pile, depending on thenumber and thickness of strips used simultaneously. This conditionresults, at the introductory side of the platen, in the strips riding upon the tips of the pins and being spaced from the platen, or being tornby the pins as the latter is turned.

The problem above is well known, and various solutions have beenproposed and adopted to overcome it. Usually these have involved more orless extensive changes in and additions to the construction andarrangement of the feeding mechanism of the typewriter, and there hastherefore been an undesirable attendant cost of installation andmaintenance.

According to the present invention the problem is solved in a novelmanner that requires but few and inexpensive parts, with very little orno change being necessary in the usual feeding mechanism of thetypewriter. Moreover, a more reliable feeding of the superposed stripsis effected. and registry and alignment of the strips at the writingline is assured at all times.

This is accomplished by providing feeding pins for engagement with theperforations of the superposed strips, which pins are yieldably mountedfor retracting movement and yieldably urged toward extended position,while at the same time being rotatably movable for feeding the stripsthrough the machine. With this arrangement, as the strips advance towardthe platen with the perforations out of alignment, they engage theadvancing yielding pins at the points where the perforations aremisaligned. The pressure of the strips on the pins cause the latter toretract as the advancing movement continues, without tearing orotherwise interfering with the strips. However, the pins are beingcontinuously yieldably urged toward extended perforation-engagingposition during the advancing movement, and as the perforations becomenearly in registry, the pins enter said perforations and assume thefeeding and registry operations of the sheets.

In one illustrated form of the invention, the pins are mounted aroundthe circumference of the platen so as to be individually andindependently retractable and extendable, and are yieldably urgedradially outward by coil springs. In another form of the invention thepins are freely movable outwardly and inwardly and are urged outwardlyand inwardly by their weight and the force of gravity as the platenmakes a complete revolution.

There is thus provided improved paper-engaging and feeding means in theform of pins which, being yieldable, respond to light pressures such aswould be exerted on them by the superposed strips advancing into themachine so that they move to a retracted position and do not tear orotherwise interfere with the normal travel of the strips, and yet whichenter the feeding perforations of the strips as the latter become morenearly in registry in their travel around the platen.

It should be noted that the pins are controlled in their extendingmovement by the paper strips themselves, and that the extent of registryof the perforations is the determiner of when the pins shall enter thelatter and begin to assume the registration and the feeding load. Thus,there is an automatic compensation which takes place as thick or thinpiles of strips are used in the machine, When thick piles of strips arefed into the machine, the pins will be prevented from fully entering allthe perforations until the latter come almost in registry sometimebefore the writing line is reached. However, when a thin pile of stripsis fed through the machine, the pins will fully enter the perforationswhen, or shortly after, the strips contactthe intro-ductorysideof theplaten well in advance of the writing line. This is an important featureof the invention, in-

asmuch as it provides for a larger number of pinsengaging and pullingthe pile of strips .when'. it.

is comparatively thin and more liable to tear. When a thick pile ofstrips issusedxlnathe mas.

chine, it is not necessary to'have as large=a num= Y ber of pins extendthrough the perforations for pulling the strips, since tearingof-.the-epa-per;.is less likely to occur during feeding.

A feature of the invention is that the'typewriter need be modified onlyby the removal of the plain platen and the substitution ofthe-platen ofthis invention in order to'incorporatethe improved feeddescribedtherein'.

Another'feature of the invention is the'provisionof. individual" 'pinand spring assemblies; in thepreferred form, which" are interchangeableand easily rem'ovable: and replaceable and which can Theiinitiallyadjusted' for proper springi sion at'the time of fabrication.

Other features. and advantagesiwill. he'reinafter. appear.

In the accompanying drawings showing: the several embodiments of theinvention- Figure 1 is .a transverse sectional view. of the improvedfeed applied to a typewriter..

Fig. 2' is a plan'view'ofa typewriter platen embodying one-form of theinvention,

Fig; 3 is an enlarged fragmentarysection taken on the line 3--3 of Fig.2, also showing-superposed strips extending. around theplaten.

Fig. 4 ma perspective-viewer oneofthe:pinassembly inserts of-Figs- 1, 2and3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view showing another embodiment of theinvention;

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a typewriter platen I is-carried'ona shaft Hhavingalinespaced ratchet i2 and knobs l3. The platen lll supportscontinuous superposed paperstrips i l-fed into-a typewritingmachine sothat the strips can receive impressions from :type bars l or othersuitable imprintingdevices along a line of writing indicatedbyaletter-gauge-plate l6, which is-pivotally mounted andspring-urgedagainst the platen in the'usual manner.

The typewriter has the usual paper-table l1, and paper-engaging lowerrollers l8. and I9 mounted on a carrier arm 2B.- To prevent crumpling ofthe pile of superposed strips [4,- the carrier arm 20 and-the rollers l8and I9.- are lowered as'shown toa position so that the rollers do.

factory. However, when using'a large number "of:

strips, with a platen having fixed pins, there is A platen l0 provided.

a tendency for the strips to ride up on the tips of the pins and becometorn at the point where the strips would initially engage the platen.

The reason for this can be readily seen by referring to Fig. 3. Thisshows an enlarged section of a platen having seven superposed stripsextendingaround it,:each of the strips being perforated along itsmargin, and the perforations being equally spaced. At the writing line,designated by the letter X, the perforations of the strips are showntobeinperfect registry. Further up on the platen as the strips begin toleave the latter, it willzbe noted that the perforations have becomemisalignede At the lower left-hand introductory side of 'theplaten, theperforations in the strips havealso become misaligned, but in theopposite direction. This misalignment is due to the factthat'theinnermost strip follows an arc which has a smaller radius thanthe arc of the outermost strip, and. therefore, for any given centralanglerepresenting two pins, the arcs of the innermost and outermoststrips have different lengths. Inasmuch as the arcs represent lineardistances on the strips, and since these linear distances are differentfor each different strip, while the spaces between the perforationsremainthe same for all strips, it is obvious that a misalignment ofperforations must occur.

Normally this misalignment would not aifect the-data types on the stripsif the latter are not torn, since the type strikes the strips at or nearthe point marked X where the strips are in perfact registry (Fig. 3).However, if the strips become torn at the point designated by the letterY, where they initially advance onto the platen, therewill no longer beregistry at the writing li e,

According to the present preferred form of the invention, referring toFig. 2, this undesirable condition is obviated by providing the platenIn with a pair of disks 23 having a plurality of radially extendingrecesses carry ng improved pin assembliesv 24, including individuallyretractible pins 25; The pins 25 are slidably mounted with respect tothe platen In in such a manner that, as the strips M are fed onto theplaten at the introductory side thereof, the pins yield under thepressure of the strips and the latter advance onto the platen withouttearing or interference.

In the embodiment represented by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and. 4,. the pins .25 are'yieldingly urged radially outward by helical coil springs 26, thetension of the latter being initially adjusted to a value that pressureof the strips on the pins at the introductory side of the platen willcause the pins to retract, and yet as the platen continues its turningand the perforations become more nearly in registry, the pins will beurged radially outward so as to extend through the perforat ons and takeup the feedingof the strips. Therefore, it will be seen. that the stripsare kept in perfect registry at the writing line where the typing isimpressed; and at other points where the strips and pins engage eachother, the str ps remain fiat and close to the surface of the platen.and are not torn.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3. the p ns 25 are Provided with large hollowbod es 21 having vent holes 21a, the bod es slidably fitting withintubular holders 28 carried in recesses of disks 23 connected to theplaten if); The ho ders 28 are externally threaded at 29 near theirouter ends so that they may be screwed into the recesses of the disks23. which are tapped for this purpose, and said holders are providedwith inwardly extending flanges 30-, which act as stops to prevent thepins 25 from leaving the holders. The inner ends of the coil springs 26engage small circular plates 3|, which are retained in the holders byturningin the inner ends of the holders as shown. Preferably, therecesses in the disks 23 are bored to a fixed depth so that the tubularholders for the pins may be screwed down tightly to bottom in therecesses and at the same time fit flush at the outer end with thecircular faces of the disks.

It is seen that the pins 25 and tubular holders 28 form completeassemblies, and, as such, the sprin pressure in each assembly may beindividually initially checked and maintained between acceptable limits.

The inwardly extending flange of each tubular holder 28 is provided witha pair of oppositely disposed diametrically located cuts 32 (Fig. 4), toprovide a grip for a wrench, and the tips of the pins 25 are rounded offin the usual manner to facilitate entry into the perforations of thestrips and removal therefrom.

It will be seen that at the writing line of the strips, Figs. 1 and 3,the pins 25 extend entirely through the perforations so that at thispoint the strips are substantially in perfect registry. Although thestrips are not in registry at the introductory side of the platen and atthe delivery side of the platen, if there is no tearing of the strips,this misalignment is of no consequence as far as the actual typing isconcerned.

The spring tension on the letter gauge I6 is adjusted to a value suchthat the plate will yield before disturbing the pins 25 should thelatter move against the plate at any time.

For the purpose of insuring a smooth disengagement of the strips M fromthe pins 25 at the delivery side of the platen, a stripper 33 isprovided in the form of a plate located substantially directly over theplaten.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 5 wherein aplurality of strip-engaging pins 25a are carried in disks 23a or aplaten Illa so as to be freely radially movable therein from retractedto extended position, and vice versa, under their own weight. Continuouswriting strips I ia are fed over a paper tabl Ha and around the disks23a and platen Illa, to receive impressions from type bars l5a.According to this embodiment, as the disks 23a and the platen Iliarotate in a counter-clockwise direction, the pins approaching the.strips Ma, which are advancing onto the platen, are influenced bygravity in such a manner as to be urged radially outward. Inasmuch asthe pressure exerted by the pins on the strips due to the attraction ofgravity is a yielding pressure, and of comparatively small magnitude,the strips will move the pins radially inward against this pressure andtoward the retracted position, and the strips will therefore not be tornor displaced from the face of the platen. However, as the platen anddisks continue turning, and the perforations in the strips Illa becomemore nearly in registry, the tips of the pins 25a will begin to extendthrough the perforations under the urging of their own weight; as theturning is further continued a point is reached where the pins willextend entirely through the perforations, and take up the feeding of thestrips. From this point until the strips leave the delivery side of theplaten, the pins will function to feed and maintain the strips inregistry for typing.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the pins 25a are preferably solidwith large bodies, so as to have sufficient weight, and are slidablycarried in the radially extending recesses in the disks 23a or platenill in such a manner as to not project therefrom when in retractedposition. The enlarged bodies of the pins form shoulders thereon, andthe pins are prevented from falling out of the disks 23a by means ofsmall rings 3-1, which are pressed in place flush with the surface ofthe disks and are adapted to engage said shoulders. Preferably, the fitof the rings is such as to permit their being easily removed should itbe desired to clean or replace the pins. The bodies of the pins haveair-vent grooves 35 to insure quick moving of the pins.

A stripper plate 33a is provided at the delivery side of the platen laand disks 23a to disengage the strips at this point.

I have found that by properly choosing the weights of the pins 25a, thelatter can be made to function without tearing or interfering with thestrips I ia advancing on the platen, and yet the weight of the pins willexert sufficient pressure to cause the tips thereof to enter theperforations in the strips at the proper moment.

For the purpose of simplicity the superposed strips l4 and I 4a, Figs. 1and 5, are shown as a single strip, although it should be understoodthat actually there are a number of superposed strips involved.

Variations and modifications may be made Within the scope of thisinvention and portions of the improvements used Without others.

I claim:

1. In a typewriter, a platen adapted to support for writing operations aplurality of superposed continuous Writing strips having registeredfeeding apertures; a plurality of equi-spaced pins mounted to travelalong the path of the writing strips and engage the feeding apertures insaid strips and positioned to advance the latter in registration overthe platen, each of said pins being mounted to move outwardly toaperture-engaging position from a retracted position, said pins beingyieldably restrained solely by said strips from moving outwardly intosaid feeding apertures until the latter are aligned sufiiciently toreceive them without the strips being torn.

2. In a typewriter, a platen and means for feeding continuous superposedwriting strips past a given point, including a rotatably mounted feedpin holder; a plurality of feed pins adapted to enter feedingperforations of the strips; and means responsive to gravitationalattraction for operating each of said pins consecutively andindependently of the others, as the holder is turned, to move the pinsunder a yielding force alternately to extended strip-engaging positionand then to retracted non-strip-engaging position.

3. In a typewriting machine, a movably mounted holder to carry feedingpins for engagement with continuous superposed writing strips passingthrough the machine; means connected with the typewriter platen formoving the holder in response to turning of the platen; a plurality ofstrip-feeding pins; and means responsive to gravitational attraction foractuating said pins, including means for mounting same on the holder, toprovide for unobstructed extending and retracting movement of the pinsbetween predetermined limits as the holder is moved.

4. In a typewriter, means for feeding continuous superposed perforatedwriting strips past a given point, including a rotatable platen; aplurality of pins adapted to enter perforations of the strips forfeeding the latter; and means responsive to gravitational attraction foroperating said pins, including means for mounting same on the platen, toprovide for unobstructed extending and retracting movement of the pinsbetween predetermined limits as the platen is turned.

5. In a typewriter, means for feeding continuous superposed perforatedWriting strips past a given point, including a rotatable platen; aplurality of pins adapted to enter perforations of the strips forfeeding the latter; and means for operating said pins in response toturning of the platen so that the pins will be yieldingly urged from aninitial retracted position to an extended strip-engaging position andsimultaneously laterally moved along the path of the strips for feedingthe strips during part of the turning movement of the platen, andyieldingly urged toward the initial retracted position during anotherpart of the turning movement of the platen.

6. In a typewriter, a cylindrical rotatable platen adapted to supportfor writing operations a plurality of superposed continuous writingstrips which pass underneath and upwardly in front of the platen andhave registered feeding apertures; a plurality of pins; and means formounting the pins radially on the platen to travel along the path of thewriting strips and engage the feeding apertures in said strips toadvance the latter in registration, each of said pins being movable toand from a strip-engaging position from a retracted non-strip-engagingposition, and being at all times yieldable for restraint by said stripsfrom moving outward into said feeding apertures if the latter are notaligned sufficiently to receive them without the strips being torn, thepins being yieldabiy urged radially outward where the feeding aperturesof the strips become aligned at the under part of the platen and beingyieldably urged radially inward toward retracted position at the top ofthe platen.

'7. In a typewriter, a cylindrical rotatable platen adapted to supportfor writing operations a plurality of superposed continuous writingstrips which pass around the platen and have registered feedingapertures, said platen having a plurality of circularly disposedradially extending holes; a lurality of sleeves, each sleeve beingmounted in one of the holes of the platen for easy removal therefrom,and having at its external end an inwardly extending flange; a pluralityof pins slidably carried in the sleeves, each pin having a tip ofreduced diameter adapted to engage the feeding apertures of the strips,and having a larger tubular body providing a shoulder for engagementwith the flange of the sleeve to act as a stop; a plurality of helicalcoil springs carried in the sleeves and extending into the tubularbodies of the pins to yieldabl urge the latter outward; and closuremeans connected to the inner ends of the sleeves for engaging the innerends of the coil springs.

8. In a typewriter, a cylindrical rotatable platen adapted to supportfor writing operations a plurality of superposed continuous writingstrips which pass around the platen and have registered feedingapertures, said platen having a plurality of circularly disposedradially extending holes; a plurality of pins slidably carried in theholes, each pin having a tip of reduced diameter adapted to engage thefeeding apertures of the strips, and having a larger body providing ashoulder on the pin; and a plurality of rings carried in the holes ofthe platen, and through which the tips of the pins can project, saidrings being adapted to engage the shoulders of the pins to act as stopsfor the latter.

9. In a typewriting machine having feeding means and paper guiding meanswhereby a pile ofcontinuous superposed paper strips is guided in acurved path in being fed, said strips having rows of spaced marginalfeed holes thrown out of normal registration depthwise of the pile asthe latter follows said curved path, said feeding means includingfeeding pins for engaging said feed holes and a carrier for travelingthe pins in said curved path, said pins being each individually mountedfor movement outwardly to a projected paper-feeding position andinwardly to a retracted non-feeding position, and said feeding meansincluding means tending to move the pins from retracted position toprojected position when following said curved path of the strips, saidpins being moved inwardly solely by the pressure of the paper stripsagainst their ends or being held from projection by the pressure of thepaper.

10. In a typewriting machine having feeding means and paper guidingmeans whereby a pile of continuous superposed paper strips is guided ina curved path in being fed, said strips having rows of spaced marginalfeed holes thrown out of normal registration depthwise of the pile asthe latter follows said curved path, said feeding means includingfeeding pins for engaging said feed holes and a carrier for travelingthe pins in said curved path, said pins being each individually mountedfor movement to a projected feeding position and to retractednon-feeding position, and said feeding means including means to move thepins from retracted position so that they tend to occupy projectedpositions when following said curved path of the strips, said meansbeing so weak in its action that the pressure of the paper stripsagainst the ends of the pins prevents their moving to or remaining inprojecting position unless and until the feed holes are aligned as thepaper is fed,

11. In a typewriting machine having a cylindrical rotatable platen,feeding means, and paper guiding means whereby a pile of continuoussuperposed paper strips is guided in a curved path in being fed aroundthe platen, said strips having rows of spaced marginal feed holes thrownout of normal registration depthwise of the pile as the latter followssaid curved path, said feeding means including feeding pins for engagingsaid feed holes, and a carrier for the pins mounted on the platen androtating therewith, said pins being each individually mounted formovement to a projected paper-feeding position and to a retractednon-feeding position, and said feeding means including springs to movethe pins from retracted position so that they tend to occupy projectingpositions when following said curved path of the strips, said springbeing so weak that the pressure of the paper strips against their endsprevents their moving to or remaining in projecting position unless anduntil the feed holes are aligned as the paper is fed.

12. In a typewriting machine having feeding means and guiding means fora pile of continuous superposed paper strips having rows of spacedmarginal feed holes normally in registration depthwise of the pile, saidfeeding means including feeding pins for engaging said feed holes and acarrier for the pins, said pins being each individually mounted formovement to a projected paper-feeding position and to a retractednon-feeding position, and said feeding means including springs to movethe pins from retracted position to projecting position and being soweak 9 10 that the pressure of the paper strips against the UNITEDSTATES PATENTS ends of the pins move the pins from projected toretracted position when the feed holes are out of ggg g f f g f i galignment 2 179 156 Mabon Nov. 7 1939 ARTHUR JOHNSON 5 1,965,571 BottleJuly 10, 1934 REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS The following referencesare of record in the Number Country Date file of this patent: 89,630Austria 1922

